What Do Transvestites and Teenage Boys Have in Common?

A couple of years ago I started working out in my garage and listening to some rock music to help me stay pumped. This is a story from that episode in my life.

Working out in my garage also affords me the opportunity to listen to music that doesn’t suck. Most gyms I have ever been in, and I’ve been in quite a few, play the WORST workout music. So I crank up the radio to whatever I can find worth listening to. I also get to check out what is being played on the radio that my students listen to.

One night in the midst of shoulder presses and rockin tunes a familiar voice came on the radio. It was Dr. Drew of Reality Rehab fame. (most recently) I used to watch Love Line on MTV when I was a teenager but can’t remember much about it. I had no idea that Dr. Drew was still doing Love Line on the radio. But several nights a week a local station airs the program.

I started to change the channel but decided to see what kind of things people are “talking” about on the show. I don’t know what you think of Dr. Drew but anyone who is willing to talk open and honestly about sex, relationships and addiction gets my respect. Sure his moral compass may not point the exact same way as yours but he “preaches” responsibility and healthy relationships. I don’t expect a Dr. who does not profess Christianity (at least publicly) to teach Christian ethics concerning sex. So, I don’t always agree with his advice but I respect his position. Also, the show is quite entertaining to see what young people think is normal or not normal.

There was one caller that night who really grabbed Dr. Drew’s and my attention.

The caller was a 25 year old girl named “Peter.” That’s right, a GIRL named Peter, I didn’t catch it the first time either. Peter was a transvestite calling about gender reassignment surgery. Apparently Peter had already had breast reduction surgery and was discussing the “other half” of the surgery. Peter was questioning why doctors could not perfect this surgery. Dr. Drew said that gender development was a “miracle” and trying to recreate that next to impossible. He went so far as to say that he doubted that gender-reassignment surgery would ever be very successful. What a great testament to God’s creation and man’s vain attempt to be like him.

However great it was to hear that first statement the next topic reminded me of the turbulent time called the teenage years. Dr. Drew asked Peter if he/she was on hormone treatment. She said she started it about 2 years ago. They talked about how she was eased into testosterone and is still working her way up. She was almost to “normal” levels of the male hormone in her system.

Dr. Drew asked her what it was like when she started hormone treatments. If you are a guy you already know what she said. Peter said that she was very hyper, easily distracted, had a libido through the roof, and dealt with anger and rage. She even had to cut her dosage back for a time because she was unable to complete any work. Dr. Drew stated the obvious and said, “what you felt is what every guy goes through for 4-5 years.” The big difference was Peter could adjust the dosage and adolescent boys cannot.

That whole exchange reminded me that as an almost 30 year old I don’t have the same forces working against me I once did. It also reminds me that the guy students which I minister to have some pretty strong urges and forces to overcome. Not that anyone gets a pass on sinful behavior, sin is wrong. But it is apparent that we need to help students deal with these things that are new to them. If we can help them rely on the power of God to overcome these strong urges of their body then we teach them a lesson they can use for their whole life.

I realize that this is not just for guys… but I’m not really sure what other is like so I’ll leave that blog to one of the lady bloggers.